A sudden afternoon downpour swept across Dhaka on Friday, bringing relief from intense heat but causing traffic congestion and waterlogging in several areas of the capital.
After a largely sunny day, dark clouds gathered over Dhaka before rain began in many parts of the city. In some neighborhoods, the rainfall intensified into heavy downpours accompanied by lightning.
Rain was reported in Rampura, Banasree, Malibagh, Moghbazar, Bailey Road, Kakrail, Shantinagar, Motijheel, Paltan, Kamalapur, Shahjahanpur, Banglamotor, Shahbagh, Panthapath, Dhanmondi and Green Road.
The downpour slowed traffic on many roads, inconveniencing office-goers heading home and others caught outdoors. Many people took shelter under shopfronts and nearby structures as the rain continued.
Heavy rainfall also caused waterlogging on several streets, further hampering movement in some areas.
According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), an extension of a low-pressure area stretches from Gangetic West Bengal to the North Bay of Bengal. The southwest monsoon remains fairly active over Bangladesh and is in a weak to moderate state over the North Bay, creating favorable conditions for rainfall across the country.
In its latest forecast, the BMD said many places in the Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chittagong, Barishal and Sylhet divisions may experience light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds and lightning. Similar weather conditions may also occur in parts of the Dhaka, Rajshahi and Khulna divisions.
The weather office also forecast moderate to heavy rainfall in some parts of the country.
